Logs:Training For Success
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| RL Date: 19 November, 2013 |
| Who: Alida, Quinlys |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Alida's heard rumors that Quinlys wants her help. They're true! |
| Where: Weyrlingmaster's Office, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 20, Month 4, Turn 33 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Ienavi/Mentions, Rone/Mentions |
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| A rather well timed inquiry from Ilicaeth to Olveraeth hopefully finds Quinlys open for a sudden meeting between their riders. « Yours got time ta speak with Alida for a second? » The sandy blue's baritone is about as genial as ever, but - if Ollie is in the know - he might recognize that the younger dragon who so often uses humans' names if he knows them well enough *this* time doesn't do so. No matter; if he gets the okay, the pair are soon winging down from their ledge to the weyrling area, 'caeth slowly sticking his head into the cavern and eyeballing the 'kids' within while Alida paces towards, then into the office area. She too takes a few moments to scan the pair of weyrling classes before knocking on the door, then entering. Olveraeth's thoughts are full of stars, despite the afternoon hour: it's not unknowable mystery that he focuses so much on, but the numinous reality of the world around them. Clearly, he's on a break from dealing with the weyrlings; these are not thoughts designed for them. « She's free, » he confirms, though it takes him several seconds to distract himself from those deep, deep thoughts in order to confirm. « And waiting. » He's nowhere to be seen, at the barracks, but Quinlys is, as promised, ready and waiting: sitting at the round table, one hand clasping her pen, the other resting flat upon a pile of reports. "Alida." Ilicaeth's not one to barge in (usually) unless he's invitied - current circumstances with the weyrling not withstanding, of course - and so, after getting Ollie's okay, he fades into the background after a swirled, gritty, « Thanks... » If allowed, the more practical blue kicks back and watches those stars for a bit, quietly enjoying them, and if not, he simply spills away to his own thoughts like so many grains of golden sand. As for their riders, Alida's closing the door behind her, stepping to the opposite side of the table Quinlys is seated at, then noting with a hint of semi-bland curiosity, "Heard some things around, over the months, about you maybe wantin' a hand with the weyrling defense lessons." Beat. "I'm thinkin' this's *not* about the standard self-defense tactics." One pale eyebrow cocks a little upon a face that holds nothing but guarded neutrality. It doesn't seem to bother Olveraeth any, if Ilicaeth wishes to stay; indeed, born educator that he is, he seems to enjoy it somehow. Smirking, Quinlys considers Alida across the table, dropping her pen and then lifting the other hand so that she can massage her palm with the force of her thumb. "That might be true," she agrees, neutrally, though there's a glint of something in her blue-eyed gaze. "Have you theories on what it might be all about?" Nothing like a guard to notice that spark of something in Quinlys' eyes, as well as her thumb massage and - of course - that smirk. Still cool and collected, Alida simply shrugs at the Weyrlingmaster's first words, then notes factually to those following ones, "Crom...Fort...Boll...Nabol." Nothing like getting directly to the point in as few words as possible. The name of each of those places gets a harder jab from Quinlys' thumb; the only sign that she's confirming anything of what the former guard has outlined. Then: "You think I want our weyrlings taught extra self-defense, or perhaps even offense because of recent worldwide events that suggest a certain level of... danger, shall we say? Lack of safety? Need for caution?" Green eyes note those jabs between flicks of looks at Quinlys' face, Alida remaining still and neutral as she considers the other woman's words for a few moments. After some seconds pass comes the blonde's flat, "Does it matter what I think about it? I deal with practicalities, hard necessities. You want mind games, there's enough other riders happy ta mind fuck with ya." A small lift of chin presages the guard's slow lift of hands so that her thumbs can hook lightly in belt loops upon pants, her form now hip shot to the left. "Yes 'r no?" "Of course it matters what you think, Alida," returns Quinlys, without pausing. "When we're talking weyrling training, I want people with spark - people who've thought things through, have ideas. People who don't just follow orders because they're told to." She straightens, rolling back slender shoulders so that she can meet the other bluerider's gaze directly. "But yes, that's part of it. The other part... it's interval. We can't guarantee tithes, so we all need marketable skills." The way Quinlys answers is reason for the poker-faced blonde to cock her head a little and listen more honestly to her former Weyrlingmaster, though Alida's features remain schtum. When she finally answers, there's a subtle hint of Ilicaeth in her words, which are somewhat dry. "Spark." Snert. "Got *that* right." More like a raging forest fire, in her own case. "Marketable skills...like knowin' how ta' pound people's heads in, if necessary? 'R maybe 'escortin' ' hapless Holders across Pern while possessin' enough specific skills ta' dissuade schmucks from tryin' for 'em?" As far as Alida's personal levels of 'spark' go, Quinlys seems inclined to stay mum, though there's still the hint of a smirk about the corners of her mouth. "Exactly," she confirms. "Things like that. Sure, we've got dragons, and-- well, you heard about what Alpine did, rounding up Rone's lot. It doesn't take many. But sometimes dragons aren't quite so useful. Sometimes you need more finesse. Chances are they won't all be up to that kind of level, but some will. It all helps." Nothing like having one's dragon's mental comment ilicit a sudden and unwanted smirk from them in the middle of a conversation. Alida rolls her eyes upward for a bare second to her lifemate, then re-focuses them back on the Weyrlingmaster, finding enough in the subject of Rone to make her features twitch into a faint scowl. "Hopefully Rone's not gotta' lieutennant 'r whatever ready ta carry out some contingency plan." It's at this point that the guard disengages her thumbs from belt loops, and slips into a limited amount of pacing around. "There's the rest uv that family ta consider, too. Could all be just as nutty as *him*." No, she's not foolish enough to think that even the former Lady isn't potentially suspect in her intentions. "Yeah..." is noted to Quin's words of dragons not always being helpful. "You thinkin' specific weyrling instruction, then? Only the ones with honest potential?" "Wife and kids, too, and who knows what they think," confirms Quinlys, leaning back in her chair so that she can better watch Alida as she paces. "Siblings. Half-siblings. Cousins. That tangled mess - who knows. But at least the conclave have an easy answer, now, and Ienavi seems solid enough." Seems. It's deliberate. "Anyway. Right. We're going to do the usual self-defense stuff with Iesaryth's group. But later, when they're senior weyrlings, those with potential, or those who really want it, can have extra classes. A level up, as it were. The group from Hraedhyth's clutch isn't too far off senior weyrlings, so they'd need that second level sooner rather than later. You can test it on them, and then have things better worked out for the next group." She into her 'zone' right now when the conversation turns to her near-lifelong work, Alida nodding to Quinlys' words while she thoughtfully gnaws at her upper lip. After somemore steps and thinking, "Want me ta weed out the unlikelies from Hrae's class, too?" She's not taking any chances on misunderstandings between them, apparently, and more thoughts on such extra training inspires Alida to stop in her tracks and pivot around on toes to face the other bluerider again...her expression guarded. "I promise not ta injure them badly enough ta stop their trainin', but they'll take their lumps, likely." Eye narrow. "I don't want anyone hangin' over my shoulder. I know how ta train kids." Well... at least kids who were in the Guard. Quinlys blows a low breath out, gaze still fixed closely upon the pacing bluerider. "Sure," she agrees, of that first query. "Watch them at drills, whatever you need to do. I'd prefer to identify the ones we especially want, but leave it open to others, with the understanding that we can talk to them at any time and recommend they step back, if it isn't going to work. I don't want it to be an exclusive, you've-been-chosen thing. There will be other options for them, at that - I figure on having a few different things they can try. I won't hang over your shoulder. But, I will listen to what they have to say, and I'll come to you if I have concerns. Sound fair?" Almost as if a predator who laid a cunning trap for her prey - and Quinlys managed to elude it - Alida offers a slender cat's smile to the Weyrlingmaster when she speaks openly of all weyrlings remaining potentially viable for recruitment... unlike the Silver Threads program. After a moment, the guard responds with a low, "Some might have more... 'politically correct' leanings than muscle. Might help fer those ta get more training like the queenriders do. Maybe help defuse bad situations in the future, 'r somethin'." As for the rest, "Good. Sounds fair enough. Expect a few possible complainers, uv course. While I ain't gonna expect complete Guard devotion outta' them, there's always a few who refuse ta abide by stricter codes." The pacing suddenly ends with the blonde simply standing stock still for a few moments, and peering intently at Quin. "Have Ollie getta' hold uv' 'Caeth when yer ready ta start. Figure you'll announce it ta Hrae's class 'n Taikrin first, uv course." "They might," confirms Quinlys. "And so there will be other options, for them. It seems only reasonable to... cater according to inclination and ability." There's something in her expression that suggests she made that allusion to the silver thread program quite deliberately, but she's otherwise quite calm, now. "There are always complainers. That's their problem, not mine, and not yours. I'll do that." Her head bobs forward, red hair jumping around at her shoulders. "I'll announce the whole concept to Hraedhyth's clutch after they've gotten their first Between jumps out of the way; give them some time to consider their options. This, extra dragonhealing, search and rescue; things like that. Expect to start in another... six weeks? Approximately, anyway." Beat. "And thank you. For saying yes." "Yes..." Alida notes firmly, bobbibng her head in agreement with Quin's first words. "Got some Guards who're much more geared ta investigation, too." Unlike her. As for potential complainers, "First bogus complaint c'n meet with you. Second gets their whiny ass booted out immediately by me." Pause. "Double good. Let 'em get that first Between stuff outta' the way. Best not divide their concentration on *that*." Apparently the full rider is still quite respectful of just how serious a business making that jump is. "Six sevens..." the woman clips off adriotly, then addending a quick, "...'r so." A small nod greets the other bluie's thanks for her acceptance, and then the small force of nature is suddenly stepping towards the door again, noting over her shoulder in a dour tone, "At least *this* Weyr's gonna be prepared." Quickly enough, she's out, and shutting the door behind her again with finality. "Damn straight," says Quinlys, with satisfaction, as she watches the other bluerider leave. "Damn fucking straight." |
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